Bottom-feeding Burgundy

Continuing this week's efforts to catch a glimpse of the glory of Burgundy by "bottom-feeding," let's turn from Monday's inquiry into a generic Bourgogne Pinot Noir from a very large producer - Louis Jadot - for a look at a similar red Burgundy from a very small one, Paul Pernot et ses fils.

Pernot sells a lot of his own wine to large firms, too. But he also makes some of his own, ranging from high-end wines to pleasant villages wines and simple Bourgogne varietal wines, including today's featured wine, a 2005 Bourgogne Pinot Noir.

According to New York's Burgundy Wine Co., a leading U.S. Burgundy merchant, "Paul Pernot is a quiet man most comfortable among vines or working in his cellars. Much of his wine is sold to a leading negociant. His 1er Cru Folatières is often considered the finest wine from this vineyard ... His Pucelles, located next to Bienvenues, is unusually powerful. He also makes powerful Bienvenues-Montrachets and Bâtard-Montrachets, as well as a fine Bourgogne Blanc and village Puligny-Montrachet.

Importer Joe Dressner agrees, noting on his Website that the Pernot family wines "are well-known throughout the world for classic Puligny and Bâtard style. They have rich concentration and fruit, but more importantly, good acidity that allow them to age gracefully and harmoniously."

We're talking about high-end Burgundy here, well removed from the bargain-bin territory that I'm trolling today; but as Dressner points out, the Pernot estate has enlarged its holdings in Pinot Noir over the years, and among many bottlings produces the Bourgogne rouge featured below.

As much as I enjoyed Monday's 2004 Bourgogne Pinot Noir from the large Beaune negoçiant Louis Jadot, I've got to give Pernot's 2005 the edge in this comparison match. Even allowing for vintage and freshness working in its favor, the Pernot stands out as a classic example of Burgundy with its well-turned balance of fruit and earth, mouth-watering acidity and appealing combination of light body and concentration.

I've asked my associates at French Wine Explorers to make every effort to arrange a visit to Paul Pernot et ses fils during our Burgundy tour in July, and hope it will work out so our group can meet the wine maker and taste his wines on site. More about that below, too.

Today's Sponsor

A message from WineLibrary.com

You may have seen us featured in GQ magazine, The Wall Street Journal, New Jersey Monthly and elsewhere. WineLibrary.com features a huge collection of top wines from around the world, great gifts and accessories, a daily video blog (WineLibraryTV), huge selection of futures and much, much more!

NEW! Order your 2005 Bordeaux Futures by the bottle! Click here for more info! Log on to WineLibrary.com today and browse our enormous selection of futures from the 2005 vintage in Bordeaux. Looking for Cheval Blanc, Mouton, Pavie, Leoville Las Cases or others? We have them all available as futures now! It's the vintage we will all be talking about for years ... order your futures today before it's too late!

Bottom line, we offer the lowest prices, the largest selection, lightning fast shipments and the greatest customer service in the industry! WineLibrary.com is your one-stop shop for everything wine ... so what are you waiting for? Log on to WineLibrary.com today!

VALUE: As noted in Monday's edition, you're simply not going to find a $10 Burgundy any more (and if you do, I'd frankly be intrigued but wary. But this well-balanced, fresh and enjoyable wine certainly justifies its mid-teens price.

WHEN TO DRINK: It's not intended as a long-term keeper, but if you're lucky, even modest Burgundies from good vintages like this one can deliver a pleasant surprise after several years of cellaring.

Terroirs of Burgundy with Robin Garr

Speaking of Burgundy, as we'll be doing this week in the 30 Second Wine Advisor, what wine lover hasn't dreamed of touring this great wine region, meeting its wine makers, learning about its wines and dining in its characteristic restaurants and bistrots?

If you've long dreamed of learning Burgundy and its wines with an expert at hand but thought you couldn't possibly afford it, I invite you to consider The Terroirs of Burgundy. I'll be personally leading the July 2-7, 2007 tour, and I promise maximum "bang for the buck."

For more information or to make reservations, send E-mail to info@wine-tours-france.com or call +1-877-261-1500 (toll-free in the U.S. and Canada). And if you would like to discuss this tour with me personally, feel free to write me at wine@wineloverspage.com